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Fort Smith ppr value
- Thread starter defjon
- Start date
Well, the Fort Smith PPKs are brand new, only showed up on the market last year, so their market value is probably about $700 new and as low as $500 used, depending on condition.
The PPK has actually been produced by a number of manufacturers since it was first introduced. Walther has licensed out the rights six ways to sunday over the decades to Manurhin in France, Interarms, (who both imported Manurhin PPKs and had some manufactured domestically after the Gun Control Act of 1986) Smith & Wesson, and even FEG in Hungary who had previously manufactured a number of clones. Currently they're manufactured by Walther Arms USA in Fort Smith Arkansas.
Older models that were made in Germany or France will be worth more than American-made models of more recent manufacture. For example, I bought a like new Smith & Wesson PPK/S back in the Summer of 2016 for $500.
Basically, PPKs go like this in terms of value...
Pre-war Walther (Thurg) PPK > Wartime Walther PPK > Post-war Manurhin PPK > Walther (Ulm/Do) > Interarms/Ranger (Alabama) > Smith & Wesson PPK (Massachusetts/Maine) = Walther USA PPK (Arkansas).
In other words, yours is the newest and therefore the least desirable PPK.
That being said, don't sweat the market value or what the snobs have to say, the new Fort Smith PPKs are great little pistols with nicer fit/finish compared to the previous generation of PPKs which were manufacturered by Smith & Wesson under license, they just won't impress the elitists, the snobs, or collectors.
The PPK has actually been produced by a number of manufacturers since it was first introduced. Walther has licensed out the rights six ways to sunday over the decades to Manurhin in France, Interarms, (who both imported Manurhin PPKs and had some manufactured domestically after the Gun Control Act of 1986) Smith & Wesson, and even FEG in Hungary who had previously manufactured a number of clones. Currently they're manufactured by Walther Arms USA in Fort Smith Arkansas.
Older models that were made in Germany or France will be worth more than American-made models of more recent manufacture. For example, I bought a like new Smith & Wesson PPK/S back in the Summer of 2016 for $500.
Basically, PPKs go like this in terms of value...
Pre-war Walther (Thurg) PPK > Wartime Walther PPK > Post-war Manurhin PPK > Walther (Ulm/Do) > Interarms/Ranger (Alabama) > Smith & Wesson PPK (Massachusetts/Maine) = Walther USA PPK (Arkansas).
In other words, yours is the newest and therefore the least desirable PPK.
That being said, don't sweat the market value or what the snobs have to say, the new Fort Smith PPKs are great little pistols with nicer fit/finish compared to the previous generation of PPKs which were manufacturered by Smith & Wesson under license, they just won't impress the elitists, the snobs, or collectors.
There is one other variant missed in the post above, a PPK-S in .22 lr and made by Umarex...a mystery metal and finish that in no way echo’s the fine machining of real Walther PP series pistols. The Ft Smith pistols have made some subtile changes over post war German pistols but reports I have read give the pistol a thumbs up.
I neglected to mention the PPK/S .22 because it isn't actually made by Walther USA in Fort Smith, they merely import it from Germany.
Also, for the record, technically it's not made by Umarex, it's merely made inside of their facility. Long story short, Walther has been a subsidiary of Umarex since 1993, but Walther still maintains their own separate facility in Ulm Germany where they produce centerfire pistols. All rimfire pistols bearing the Walther banner are made in the Umarex factory in Arnesburg, but they are made by Walther employees in their own special workspace within the factory.
The Walther PPK/S .22 got a bad rap which it has been unfortunately unable to shake thanks to Walther USA incorrectly labeling the material they are made out of as "Zinc Diecast" which has since been corrected, (in reality it's some sort of proprietary alloy, presumably the same aluminum alloy they use for the PPQ22 and 1911-22) but folks still repeat that they're made of "cheap potmetal" or ZAMAK, especially vintage Walther snobs because it helps to justify their snobbery.
Also, for the record, technically it's not made by Umarex, it's merely made inside of their facility. Long story short, Walther has been a subsidiary of Umarex since 1993, but Walther still maintains their own separate facility in Ulm Germany where they produce centerfire pistols. All rimfire pistols bearing the Walther banner are made in the Umarex factory in Arnesburg, but they are made by Walther employees in their own special workspace within the factory.
The Walther PPK/S .22 got a bad rap which it has been unfortunately unable to shake thanks to Walther USA incorrectly labeling the material they are made out of as "Zinc Diecast" which has since been corrected, (in reality it's some sort of proprietary alloy, presumably the same aluminum alloy they use for the PPQ22 and 1911-22) but folks still repeat that they're made of "cheap potmetal" or ZAMAK, especially vintage Walther snobs because it helps to justify their snobbery.
Forte, Yes Walther was absorbed by Umarex, I dis not want to go into that history, I purchased one of the .22’s to keep the round count down on my PP in 22 lr. The metal is a mystery and the finish something like Cerakote neither of which caused me any difficulties but I certainly can not compare this pistol to my much more expensive PP and PPK pistols— they just are not in the same price range.
I have not as yet had any experience with the Ft Smith pistols other than cursory inspections.
I have not as yet had any experience with the Ft Smith pistols other than cursory inspections.
Cerakote, huh? Mine has some sort of black oxide finish, but it's an early 2013 model and they've gone through a few revisions since then, so it's good to hear that they've improved the finish. (The black oxide finish on mine wore off within a year at the safety lever and the muzzle, plus it's rather unattractive.)